AUDI has revealed the production-ready This autumn e-tron mid-size electrical SUV in wagon and coupe-style Sportback varieties forward of their respective European showroom debuts in June and September.
Plans for an Australian launch of Audi’s third all-electric mannequin line stay unconfirmed, though the native department advised GoAuto it was “engaged on it”.
In the meantime the battery powered e-tron GT sports activities sedan and high-performance ‘S’ model of the e-tron massive electrical SUV are nonetheless scheduled to launch right here later in 2021.
As its identify suggests, the This autumn e-tron slots between the Q3 and Q5 in Audi’s SUV vary, firmly occupying the mid-size SUV phase with dimensions just like these of a Toyota RAV4.
Priced from €41,990 ($A65,124) in Germany the place prospects can declare a €9000 EV subsidy, the This autumn e-tron has an official WLTP battery vary of as much as 520km relying on the variant.
Throughout the 2 physique kinds are three drivetrain choices – rear-wheel drive with both 125kW/310Nm or 150kW/310Nm outputs and twin-motor all-wheel-drive growing a mixed 220kW/460Nm.
Respective 0-100km/h acceleration occasions are 9.0 seconds, 8.5s and 6.2s, with the previous two topping out at a ruled 160km/h and the latter at 180km/h.
The least highly effective ‘35’ variants have a battery pack capability of 52kWh, limiting WLTP vary to 341km for the wagon and 349km for the extra aerodynamic Sportback.
Most vary of 520km goes to the mid-spec ‘40’ drivetrain that comes with a 77kWh pack, shared with the ’50 quattro’ twin motor efficiency champion that sacrifices 32km of vary as a wagon or 23km as a Sportback.
Audi claims that 10 minutes utilizing a 125kW DC speedy charger will add 130km of WLTP vary to large battery variants (the small battery is restricted to 100kW DC charging) and that the This autumn e-tron’s satellite tv for pc navigation system will optimise route planning round obtainable public charging infrastructure.
The small battery can be restricted to 7.2kW AC charging whereas these with the larger packs can take 11kW AC.
Behind the usual powered tailgate is 520 litres of baggage house (1490L with the rear seats folded), which is at on the massive finish for the This autumn e-tron’s phase in opposition to the similar-sized RAV4’s 542L and 1690L. The sleeker Sportback has 15L extra boot house with the seats deployed however 30L much less with them folded.
In-cabin storage of just about 25 litres is promised, together with the flexibility to retailer one-litre bottles within the door bins, and general house for occupants is claimed to match conventionally powered automobiles from the phase above as a result of packaging benefits of a devoted all-electric platform, its lengthy 2.76-metre wheelbase and flat ground with no transmission tunnel.
Towing capability is pegged at 1200kg braked for all-wheel-drive variants and 1000kg for these with two-wheel-drive, sufficient for tugging a tinnie or fundamental camper trailer – though Audi stipulates these capacities are topic to driving on roads with a most 12 per cent incline. The roof rails can take as much as 75kg.
Being electrical Audis, the This autumn e-tron pair main on know-how accessible to the driving force. Highlights embrace large touchscreens of as much as 11.6 inches with on-line providers connectivity, customisable digital instrument panel, an augmented actuality head up show, backlit touch-sensitive steering wheel controls and two-deck centre console with push-button gear selectors.
Sonos premium audio is obtainable, as is wi-fi connectivity for each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. The gamut of semi-autonomous driver aids and security tech are additionally included, in addition to clever effectivity methods that maximise driving vary by predicting visitors patterns.
Ingolstadt’s emphasis on inside design and high quality has been utilized to the This autumn e-tron with a sustainability edge, for instance the material of every seat being made from round 26 recycled 1.5-litre plastic bottles, with different textiles being variously recycled or reclaimed.
Whole manufacturing of the This autumn e-tron can be claimed to be carbon impartial, each through the use of clear power sources at Audi’s Zwickau manufacturing unit and requiring the identical of its main battery cell suppliers, and offsetting unavoidable emissions by way of licensed local weather safety tasks.
Principally trustworthy to the This autumn e-tron idea revealed on the 2019 Geneva motor present and subsequent Sportback iteration proven final July, the manufacturing variations have a muscular presence suggestive of high-performance inside combustion energy beneath their closely sculpted exteriors.
Regardless of their appears to be like, each physique kinds are wind-tunnel hewn, the Sportback reaching a drag coefficient of 0.26 and the wagon 0.28, therefore the previous’s barely higher battery vary figures.
These slippery exteriors profit from the drivetrains’ efficiency-boosting coasting mode that’s prioritised over regenerative braking, of which three ranges could be manually activated through the steering wheel panels or operates by default with the transmission within the ‘B’ place.
Sufficient regen to ship a way of ‘engine braking’ is offered when the Dynamic drive mode is engaged.
As regards to dynamics, the underslung battery pack gives a low centre of gravity and close to 50:50 weight distribution no matter drivetrain configuration.
Dynamic improve choices embrace 15mm-lower sports activities suspension and a progressive steering ratio that may be additional enhanced by adaptive dampers for the McPherson struts up entrance and five-link impartial rear structure.
Alloy wheel sizes vary from 19 to 21 inches, with 235-section low rolling resistance tyres up entrance and 255s on the again and brakes with as much as 358mm rotors up entrance and old-school drums on the again, which Audi says require much less upkeep and are hardly ever used as a result of rear-axle regen sometimes caring for deceleration duties at that finish of the automobile.
Whereas the Sportback’s silhouette is just like that of a Tesla Mannequin Y that’s scheduled for European launch across the identical time, the Californian automobile is larger and can be costlier.
Equally, in Europe the Hyundai Ioniq 5 will sit above the This autumn e-tron pair when it comes to measurement and worth, though extra reasonably priced variations are anticipated to roll out after preliminary deliveries begin between now and mid-year. The Ioniq 5 is confirmed to go on sale Down Beneath within the second half of this 12 months.
The This autumn pair are additionally smaller than the Skoda Enyaq (from €33,800 in Germany) with which they share Volkswagen Group’s electric-only MEB platform that additionally underpins the VW ID.4. Neither of those fashions are confirmed for Australia.
